Portable aerial ladder



May 3, 1938.

A. J. KlLEY ET AL PORTABLE AERIAL LADDER Filed Aprii 29, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l a In my May 3, 11938. A. J. KILEY ET AL PORTABLE AERIAL LADDER Filed April 29, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 MW T JWU A E I 1% I I I T I l I r I I I I I I I I I l l l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1 May 3, 1938. A. J. KlLEY ET AL 2,116,470

PORTABLE AERIAL LADDER 1 Filed April 29, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 3, 1938. A. J. KILEY ET AL PORTABLE AERIAL LADDER Filed April 29, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 N WMIN I I M Patented May 3, 1938 UNITED STATES PORTABLE AERIAL LADDER Albert J. Kiley, Belmont, and John T. Kiley, Arlington, Mass., assignors to James A. Kiley 00., Somerville, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 29, 1936, Serial No. 76,978

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to aerial ladders such as are mounted on vehicles and used in the repairing and servicing of wire and lighting equipment elevated above the highway, in tree trimming, fruit picking, and in various other con nections. It has as its object the improvement of such structures in point of ease and security of operation and transportation, and in simplicity and cheapness of construction, and in particular aims to provide a self-containederecting, adjusting and carrying unit which can be applied quickly and easily to the floor, deck, or body of any vehicle without the need for any permanently attached structure built onto the vehicle, and which unit can be equally quickly and easily removed from the vehicle when not needed, whereby the general utility of the vehicle for customary load-carrying purposes, when not in immediate use as a mobile ladder base, is not impaired. Hitherto, such structures of this sort as have been commercially available have been heavy, costly, and more or less unwieldy, requiring permanent attachment to and the exclusive use of the vehicle of the invention to provide a portable aerial ladder which will meet the need for a more adaptable-device thus left unfilled.

To these ends, the invention comprises the mounting of the complete aerial ladder assembly, with all its adjuncts for erecting and adjusting the ladder in use and for securing the ladder for safe transportation when not in use, on a single base to be detachably fixed to the platform or floor of the body, or to the frame members of the vehicle. Other aims and improvements of the invention improving and simplifying the structure and manipulation are as will be made plainhereinazfter.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a standard light motor truck with cab, showing the invention structure mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the ladder unit detached and apart from the truck.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base, turn-table and ladder-supporting structure, in section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the pivot on which the ladder is shown mounted in Fig. 1,

. showing details of construction.

Fig. 6 is a detailin side elevation, showing the safety lock holdingythefcot of, the ladder down;

Fig. '7 is a detail showing the improved ladderkeepers and their operation. a

The motor truck of Fig. l in connection with which the invention is shown illustratively combined, is of common type having an enclosed cab I for the driver and a flat wooden or metal floor 3 bounded by low sides 5 for the load.

To this floor 3, in accordance with the invention, a base-plate 1, preferably of. heavy sheet steel and of appropriate shape, herein rectangular, is affixed in easily detachable relation, as by the bolts 9 passing through holes H at the four corners thereof, through corresponding holes in the floor 3, and through registering holes in the channel cross-members I 3 of the vehicle frame, secured by nuts I5 within the channels.

A pressed steel turn-table ll is mounted for free rotation on the base-plate 1 by means of a threaded stud l9 surrounded by a sleeve 2! which serves both as a bushing for the central hole in the turn-table and as a spacer for the collar 23 engaging the top surface of the turn-table; a "nut 25 holds down the collar 23 and is fixed against escape from the threaded upper end of stud l9 by pin 21.

A circular race 29 is fixed as by welding to the under surface of the turn-table, in register with. a similar track 3| affixed to the base-plate l by rivets 33 with intervening spacers 35. A series of tubular roller bearings 3.! is interposed between the two tracks, each being rotatably mounted on a rivet 39 fixed in spacedhoopshaped circular guides 4 I which embrace the sides of the race 29 and the track 3|; To provide against jamming of the rolling-gear for the turntable, the rim of the latter is turned down to provide a flange extending around the circuit of the turn-table almost to the surface of base-plate 'i, preventing access of dirt and of small objects to the roller bearings, and also stiffening the turn-table.

To eliminate all play in the turn-table when the latter is erect and in use, a clamp or lock is provided to clamp the side of the turn-table lifted by the burden of the ladder immovably to thetrack so that the strain is thus transmitted to the rigid frame l3; this look also serves to prevent rotation of the turn-table when not desired. This clamp or lock comprises a foot 43 the 'outward end of which is positioned below the inward rim of the track 3|, in such manner as to clear the spacers 35 as the lock rotates with the turn-table. The upwardly extending threaded shank 45 integral with the foot 431s keyed against rotation by means-of key 41 in the hole through which it extends in the central boss of a link 49 one end of which is hinged on a pin 5| mounted between the lugs of a bracket 53 afiixed by a bolt 55 to the top surface of turn-table I1. Nuts 51 applied to the shank 45 above and below the link 49 provide for adjustment of the power of the clamp or look. A foot treadle 59 for operating the clamp or look has a rounded inward extremity which is pivoted eccentrically on a pin 6| put through the forked outward end of link 49. When the treadle is depressed into the position shown in Fig. 4, the eccentrically disposed rounded extremity of the foot treadle engages the top surface of the turn-table and cams the pin 6I and the outward end of link 49 upward to lift the foot 43 into forceful engagement with the under side of track 3|, eliminating all play in the bearings and looking the turn-table against rotation. When the treadle 59 is flipped upward by the operators toe, the lock is released in obvious manner. The importance of this feature comes from the fact that play of a fraction of an inch in the turntable is magnified into a movement of several inches at the ladders top end.

On the turn-table is mounted a support or standard for the ladder, herein formed of angle iron and pivotally attached to the turn-table by hinges 63 and bolts 65. This support or standard comprises two identical triangular structures, each made of three lengths of angle iron 61, 68, and 69, each triangle being braced at 10 and H by horizontal elements of angle iron, the two triangles being tied together at front and back in fixed spaced relation by cross-girths 12, I3, of angle iron, and M, of channel construction, and a hollow member I6 welded into the apex.

The ladder I5, which will ordinarily be of extension type as shown, is pivotally aflixed tothe top of the support or standard by means of an axle I1, Fig. 5, passing through the hollow member 76 at the apex of each triangular side and through lugs 19 on T-section plates BI fixed to opposite sides of the ladder. This axle, in the shape of a bolt, is threaded through one lug I9 and secured by a nut 82 and cotter pin 84. Preferably, and as shown, the point of pivotal attachment of the ladder to the support will be at least one-quarter of the length of the ladder (when in unextended relation) from the foot of such ladder, so as to partially counterbalance the weight of the forwardly or upwardly extending remainder of the ladder and give an ample amount of leverage for erecting the ladder and for holding it in its erected position. Likewise, the support or standard will be of a height corresponding to this length of the ladder at the short side of its pivot, both to provide for and utilize this amount of leverage and also to permit the ladder to assume a horizontal position for transportation while at the same time clearing the drivers cab. Thus one man, grasping the foot of the ladder, can easily erect and lower it.

Spring clamps 83, Figs. 1 and 3, are riveted at to angle irons 8'! put across the two upright elements of each triangle at right angles to the elements 69, to engage plates 89 and au tomatically seize and hold the foot of the ladder down and thus maintain the ladder erect. As shown in Fig. 6, an auxiliary lock is provided in the form of a pin 88, put through a hole in a lug welded onto a steel rung 92 in the ladder, such hole registering with a hole in, the lower rear cross-member 12.

To adjust the slant or inclination of the ladder, in order to increase its scope without requiring movement of the vehicle, the ladder support or standard is tipped with respect to the turn-table I! about the pintles 9! of hinges 63, by means of a hand-wheel 93 and screw operated thereby. A head 9! on the bottom end of this screw 95 bears against the lower end of a sleeve 99 equipped at opposite sides with trunnions I00 received in holes in lugs IOI extending downwardly from brackets I02 fixed on the upper side of the turn-table IT. A collar I03 is setscrewed to the shank of screw 95 just above the pivot sleeve 99, extending through a hole of considerably larger diameter in the turn-table. The screw 95 extends through a hole in the transverse channel member I4, and through a pivot nut I 04 the pivots I05 of which are received in lugs on brackets I06 fixed by bolts I 01 within the channel of channel iron I4. Thus by rotation of hand-wheel 93 the support or standard can be tipped to the desired degree to give the ladder the same inclination as is thus imparted to the oblique brace-members 69. Through this adjustment of the slant of the ladder, coupled with the provision for rotation of the entire described elevated structure through 360 degrees, by reason of the turn-table arrangement, a relatively wide area can be reached by the worker on the ladder, without requiring movement of the vehicle.

To support the front part of the ladder in transit, and in horizontal position so that all parts of the ladder will be as low as possible, a ladder-rack in the form of a gallows-like structure is built of angle iron on the forward end of the base-plate 1, comprising vertical elements I06 and braces I09 united at their foot by horizontal angle irons II 0 secured to base-plate I. At the top of this structure horizontal angle irons I I2, braced by diagonals I I3, extend forward over the .drivers cab I to support a transverse element H4 upon which the ladder rests, upright guides II5 being fixed on this element to receive the ladder between them and prevent side-sway.

To hold the ladder down, keepers in the form of angular hooks I I6, Figs. 1, 2 and 6, are pivoted at I I! on the front face of element I I5, their long spring-tails being snapped over de'tents H8 within the guide-loops I I9 fixed to downward extensions I 20 applied to opposite ends of such element, in which loops the tails move up and 7 down, to maintain the hooks in spring-pressed engagement with the top surface of the ladder side-members. To prevent the extension portion of the ladder from shifting in either direction during transit, a stop I2I is fixed on top of the horizontal element H4 of the gallows, to extend through the ladder and intercept the rungs of the said portion of the ladder.

While we have illustrated and described a certain form in which the invention may be embodied, we are aware that many modifications may be made therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, we do not wish to be limited to the particular form shown, or to the details of construction thereof, but

What we do claim is:

1. An aerial ladder for vehicles having in combination a base, means fixing the base in easilydetachable relation to the body of the vehicle, a ladder rack rigidly mounted on the base and extending forward over the vehicle, a turn-table on the base, a ladder support on the turn-table,

a ladder pivoted to the support, means to hold down the foot of the ladder when erected by rotation on its pivotal mounting, and means to tip the support with respect to the turn-table to change the inclination of the erected ladder.

2. An aerial ladder for vehicles having in combination a base, means fixing the base to the vehicle, a turn-table on the base, a support on the turn-table, a ladder fulcrunied on the support, means in connection with the turn-table to hold down the foot of the ladder when erected by swinging it about such fulcrum, and manuallycontrolled means apart from the ladder to tip the support and erected ladder as a unit with respect to the turn-table to change the inclination of the erected ladder.

3. In a ladder structure, in combination, a base, a support comprising two rigid triangular structures fixed in spaced and parallel relation to each other, means pivotally connecting corresponding base angles of each triangular structure to the base, a ladder pivotally mounted across the apex of the support, means holding down the foot of the ladder to elevate the other end thereof, and manually-controlled means apart from the ladder operating, after the ladder has been thus elevated, to determine the angular position of the ladder and the support as a unit about the pivotal connection of the support with the base to govern the tipping of such support and the slant of the ladder.

4. In an aerial ladder, in combination, a turntable, a ladder support pivotally connected di rectly to such turn-table, a ladder connected at spaced points in its length to such support, so as to maintain a fixed angular relation to the latter, and screw means connected directly to the support and connected also to the turn-table in horizontally ofiset relation to the pivotal connection of the support thereto, operating upon rotation of the screw in one direction to tip the support and the ladder as a unit and upon rotation in the other direction to move the support reversely to raise the ladder into a more erect relation.

5. An aerial ladder for vehicles having in combination a base, means fixing the base to the vehicle, a turn-table on the base, aladder, a support on the turn-table to which the ladder is pivotally attached at aheight above the turn-table of at least one-quarter the normal length of the ladder, the point of such pivotal attachment being substantially the same distance from the foot of the ladder, means to hold down the foot of the ladder when erected by rotation on the pivotal attachment, and manually-controlled means to tip the support and ladder as a unit with respect to the turn-table to change the inclination of the erected ladder.

6. In an aerial ladder, in combination, a ladder, a standard upon which the ladder is pivotally mounted, a turn-table on which the standard is carried, a circular track, rolling bearings interposed between the turn-table and the track, means clamping that side of the turn-table which is nearest the foot of the pivotally-mounted ladder when erected fixedly against the track, and cam means maintaining the clamping means in clamped relation.

7. In a portable ladder for vehicles, in combination, a ladder, a rack to support the ladder during transportation, and a keeper holding the ladder on the rack comprising a pivoted lever having at one extremity a hook-shaped portion to engage the ladder and hold it to the rack and at the other extremity an extension to be grasped for manipulation, and a detent on the rack in the path of movement of the extension as defined by the pivot of the lever, holding the hook shaped portion in engagement with the ladder, and around which detent the extension is carried by manually springing the extension while swinging the lever about its pivot in order to disengage the hook-shaped portion from the ladder.

8. An aerial ladder for vehicles having in combination, a base, means fixing the base in easilydetachable relation to the body of the vehicle, a ladder rack rigidly mounted on the base to support the ladder when extending forward over the vehicle, a ladder support also on the base, a ladder pivoted to the support, and means to hold down the foot of the ladder when erected by rotation on its pivotal mounting.

9. An aerial ladder for vehicles having in combination, a base, means fixing the base in easilydetachable relation to the body of the vehicle, a ladder rack rigidly mounted on the base to support the ladder when extending forward over the vehicle, a ladder support also on the base, a ladder pivoted to the support, means to hold down the foot of the ladder when erected by rotation on its pivotal mounting, and means to tip the support with respect to the base to change the inclination of the erected ladder.

10. In an aerial ladder, in combination, a ladder, a turntable on which the ladder is mounted in inclined relation, a base on which the turntable is rotatably mounted, and means apart from the axis of rotation of the turn-table drawing toward each other the base and that side of the turn-table which is nearest the foot of the ladder when the ladder is erected, so as to eliminate play between the base and such side, comprising a lever fulcrumed at one end in connection with the turn-table and having an intermediate portion for clamping engagement with a part in fixed connection with the base and a cam operable at will acting on the free end of the lever to efiect and maintain such drawing together.

11. In an aerial ladder, in combination, a ladder, a turn-table on which the ladder is mounted in inclined relation, a base on which the turntable is rotatably mounted, and means preventing rotation of the turn-table with respect to the base, comprising a lever fulcrumed on the turntable, having a part intermediate its length for locking engagement with a part in fixed connection with the base, and a cam pivoted to the lever and acting against a surface on the turntable to move the lever and establish the locking relation.

12. In an aerial ladder, in combination, a ladder, a turn-table on which the ladder is mounted in inclined relation, 2. base on which the turntable is rotatably mounted, a circular track supporting the rim of the turn-table and fixed on the base, a lever fulcrumed at one of its ends on the turn-table, a clamp on the lever engaging beneath the track, and an eccentric pivoted on the other end of the lever engaging the top of the turn-table to cam the lever and thus the clamp upward, whereby the rim of the turn-table is forced down toward its track and prevented from relative turning movement.

ALBERT J. KILEY. JOHN T. KlI-EY. 

